


Dead Hearts

by amongtheshadows



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M, First Love, Reunions, Romance, Scallison, Soulmates, Stydia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-15
Updated: 2014-09-27
Packaged: 2018-01-19 11:22:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1467649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amongtheshadows/pseuds/amongtheshadows
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There was a really good chance this wouldn’t end up well, I thought to myself as I looked around the corner cautiously. Stiles was facing a couch that I assumed Derek was on but I couldn’t see him from where I was. I looked over to the front doorway that was now closed. Lydia was leaning against it and when my eyes scanned over the room they met hers. She stood up straight and nodded at me. I wiped under my eyes one more time and took that as my sign to go forward. </p>
<p>Stepping into the light I could see a large shadow of a man sitting with his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands on the wall. Derek.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. And There Was Life

I gasped. Sudden breaths of air were pulsing through my lungs and escaping my dry lips a rapid speed that I couldn't seem to control, and I could feel my mouth start to salivate after so many days of unquenchable dryness. I swatted what felt like cobwebs and other debris off my face and let my arms and hands start to work again. I could feel blood start to pump through my veins and my heartbeat boomed in my ears. My legs were the next thing to come back to me as they were pulled up to my chest as I sat up and opened my eyes. Despite the fact that the only light was coming in from the strained moonlight from a broken board in the celling, my eyes still burned and I had to rub them with the dirty heels of my hands; unintentionally getting dust in my eyes. 

When the burning sensation subsided I tentatively opened them and looked around me. I hadn’t moved anywhere in the last few years. In fact, no where at all. The dark room was still the same despite the slightly thicker layer of dust. I stood up slowly and let my legs stretch and adjust to being used. I died here. I died in this room. I was was here when I died, how am I. . . 

“Paige?” I heard a voice come from behind me. I spun around quickly to see two teenagers standing in awe with flashlights. The girl was short and had long red hair, while the boy she was hiding behind was tall and pale with short dark hair. 

A single tear rolled down the girl’s cheek. “Oh my god I can’t believe that worked.”

“You’re telling me.” the boy responded. 

“Who are you. How do you know me?” 

“Listen I’d love to go into details with you right now but now isn’t exactly the best place and if we don’t get out of here soon you might end up dead. . . again. So l need you to come with me.” The boy responded quickly and reached out a hand for me to take. 

“I’m not dead?” 

“No.”

“I’m not dead?”

“No, and I can explain why and how if you come with me. I promise I won’t hurt you.” His eyes were sincere and the girl he was with was already pushing the doors open. I looked back and nodded my head. 

I followed behind them at a quick pace through thick woods. They were both looking back over their shoulders constantly and watching to make sure I was still there. I wasn’t sure why the needed me so badly or why that had gone though the effort to bring me back to life, or even how they could in the first place but they did. 

We reached the edge of the woods where the road met the tree line. There was a light blue jeep idling on the side of the road and a tall man with light hair was in the drivers seat, cautiously looking around. When he saw us approaching he yanked open the passenger side door and let the girl fly in first. 

“You guys just barely made it. They’re coming fast so we need to leave now.” The driver said and let the boy climb in the back with the girl. I stalled for a moment and looked over my shoulder. A light was slowly approaching through the fog that hung low in the trees and in the distance I could see several more start to appear. 

“What in the world. . .” I barely whispered. I was cut off by a loud bang on the other side of my head. I whipped around to see a black arrow stuck in the side of the car. “Holy shit.” I felt myself being pulled into the care with the others. I slammed my door shut as we began flying down the dark road. The three strangers that had so graciously brought me back fro the dead were chattering away so fast it was hard to even make out what they were saying. The girl was rambling the the driver about how she did it and the boy was interjecting here and there with directions and comments, that the driver just rolled his eyes at. I couldn’t help but smile at the sound of their voices. 

One of the windows was rolled down and I took the opportunity to let the wind blow my hair around. Let the air hit my face as I took in deep breaths and let my lungs expand and exhale. It must be spring because there were little flowers springing up from the ground and the air smelled like fresh grass. 

“Enjoying yourself?” The driver asked me with a small smile. I could only smile and nod. “Listen you’re probably super confused at the moment, which it understandable, but all you need to know right now is that we are taking you somewhere safe.” he said as he pulled around a corner onto a residential street. 

Large houses were lined up one by one down a winding street there was one that was larger than the rest. The garage was open and there was a man standing in the open space, obviously waiting for us. The driver pulled into the driveway slowly and stopped the car with a loud exhale. 

I noticed that as soon as we pulled up all the chatter had stopped. The boy fell surprisingly silent and reached around me to open my door. With shuddering breaths I took small steps out of the car onto the cement driveway. The girl and boy hopped out from behind me and walked in front of me. The once stoic face of the man in the garage was now softened as he looked at me then back and forth between the strangers. 

“You did it. How did you do it?” he asked quietly. 

“The spell worked as we though it would. Everything was the way he said it would be, except for the fact that there was some people that reminded me an awful lot of you chasing us thought the woods once we got her out.”

“Hunters were chasing you? For her?”

“Yea, we don’t know either. But everyone should be back by tomorrow night and we can ask. Right now we need to get her inside.” he said gesturing at me. I offered a small wave and smiled. 

“Right of course.” he said and ran ahead of us into the large home. 

We followed in after him as he headed upstairs we went straight through the house to the dining room. There was a large table and the girl pulled a chair out and let me sit down, before grabbing a water bottle out of the kitchen and passing it to me before sitting down in front of me. 

“Okay, I think we should tell you whats going on.” she was and the boys sat down around her and looked at me with weary eyes. “By the way I’m Lydia, and this is Stiles, and this is Isaac. The grumpy guy in the garage is Mr. Argent.” she said motioning to the boy first and then the driver. “We know a friend of yours and he owed him a favor.”

“This friend wanted me alive?” I asked.

“Well yes he does, but he doesn’t exactly know that you are. He doesn’t even know that we tried in the first place actually. He’d probably kill us actually if we told him.” she said. 

“Okay, you died right, about 12 years ago. You were bitten but your body couldn’t sustain the change and you died. Well we have a friend who wanted you alive so bad, but he didn’t know that it was even remotely possible to do what we did. But he needs you Paige. He needs you so badly and we couldn’t just sit around and let him sit in his own anger. He has been completely alone for a while now.” Stiles said and took a deep breath. “ We knew there might be a slight possibility of being able to get you. So we tried.”

I thought about the night I died. I was wrapped so ever gently in his arms. Bleeding out on him. I made him finish it off. I was in so much pain, that I never thought about how much pain he would be in after doing this. How affected he would be.

“The friend. . .You’re talking about- “

“Derek Hale.” Stiles cut me off. 

“He doesn’t know?” 

“He has no idea. He’s out of town right now with our friends Scott and Allison. This is Allison’s house by the way. Her dad, Mr. Argent is going to let you and Lydia stay here until tomorrow to stay safe.”

My breathing came in short breaths as I looked up from my hands to Stiles. “I can see Derek?” 

“Yes. Tomorrow night, but for now you’re going to stay here with Lydia and Mr. Argent.” he said and looked at Isaac. “We’re all going over to his place tomorrow so we can explain all of this to him.”

I nodded my head slowly. “Okay, I just- okay.”

“I know that this may seem insane and confusing but I promise everything will be fine. You just have to trust us.” Lydia said.

“What about his family. Why don’t I just stay with them, I mean no offense or anything.” I asked. Stiles hung his head and looked and Lydia. She looked down at her hands.

“There was a fire at the Hale house a while ago. Derek wasn’t home, but the rest of them were in the basement.” Stiles said slowly. “They didn’t make it out.” I felt my heart break. Derek really was alone. My head hurt at the thought of him losing his sisters, his parents. They were so kind, they loved him so much. 

“They all. . .”

“Yea. Except Cora, she was brought back under some strange circumstances a while back. She doesn’t live here anymore though.” Lydia said. “I’m sorry you had to hear it from us.”

“Are you guys. . . like him?” I asked. If they were close to him they had to be. Right?

“I’m one hundred precent human, we’re still trying to figure out exactly how Lydia is the way she is, but Isaac and my best friend Scott are werewolves.” Stiles said casually. 

“And what about Argent?” 

“Well see, thats complicated. His daughter, Allison, and Scott are kind of in love but the funny part to their story is that Argent used to be a hunter.”

“And we’re in his house because. . .?”

“He retired, but this is the safest place for you to be right now. Allison wants to help Derek just as much as we do and Mr. Argent was ever so kind to offer this place up until Derek gets back. If anything goes wrong he can help us more than anyone else can and now especially with these new hunters out there we need to make sure we’re safe.”

“Stiles and Isaac are going to stay at Derek’s place in case he gets home early so he can let us know when he’s there. But they really should be back tomorrow night.” Lydia said. “In the meantime you can stay with me. I bought some clothes for you so you can change and rest up.”

“Thank you.” I said. “Really, I don’t know if I’ve said it yet but thank you.” I said looking at all of them, even Mr. Argent who had just walked in. 

“Allison just called. They should be home by ten tomorrow night. I suggest getting to Derek’s place now just in case though. She said they're making good time.” he said. 

Stiles and Isaac nodded before waving and walking back towards the garage. Lydia and I were left at the kitchen table looking at each other. 

“How do you feel?” She asked.

“Good. Kinda gross, and tired, but good.”

“If you want you can take a shower and sleep? There’s a guest bedroom upstairs.”

“That sounds perfect.” She smiled and nodded before leading me through the giant house and upstairs.

“You can sleep here. The clothes in the closet are for you. I’ll be in Allison’s room next door in case you need anything.”

“Okay, and Lydia, thanks. For everything. This is insane and slightly impossible and I’m not quite sure how it’s happening but thank you for going for it. For me and Derek.”

“Anytime.” she said and walked out and closed the door. 

*  
I woke up the next day around five in the evening. According to a note on my door Lydia and Mr. Argent were going to be gone until six and then were going to come get me. Derek was making good time and according to the note should be home around seven. Two hours. Just two hours. 

I took advantage of the shower and took my time to make sure I looked presentable. All of this seemed abnormally normal. Waking up and getting into the shower. Brushing my hair. 

Looking in the bathroom mirror I realized that somehow the spell that Lydia used made up for the twelve years I had been dead. The spell had aged me twelve years, so that I looked like a grown woman rather than a teenager. This got me thinking; what does Derek look like? Will he recognize me?

I shook off the though and finished drying my hair and picked out a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. There was a knock at my door as just as I was about to lay back down in bed. 

“Come in.” Lydia slammed the door open and barged in, face flushed. 

“He’s coming. We thought they would stop more than they actually did but they’re coming.” she said and pulled a coat and a pair of boots out of the closet for me to slip on. 

I pulled them on quickly and followed after her down the staircase and out the front door where a car sat waiting. She got int the drivers seat turned the car on. We were speeding down the residential road until it met a busier street that led downtown. 

We drove until we reached the other side of town. We pulled up behind large building and parked behind the blue jeep from last night. We got out quickly and walked up several flights of stairs before opening a door that led to the hallway of what looked like a stylish apartment building. 

“Derek lives here?” I asked noting the decor that lined the hallway.

“Cora helped him move before she left, otherwise he’d probably be living in the old Hale house. She has good taste.” she said and knocked three times on a door at the end of the hall. Stiles threw the door open and ushered us inside what looked to be a fairly new loft.

“What took so long?” he asked.

“Traffic. Sorry.” Lydia asked. “When will he be here?” 

“Soon. Allison just texted. He’s dropping off her and Scott.” Stiles said and looked around the hallway before shutting the door.

“Shit he’s pulling in right now.” Isaac said from his place next a window that faced the street below. I felt my heart leap and start beating into overdrive. 

“Come here.” Isaac said and pulled me into the kitchen along with him. “You need to stay here. I need to be out there to help Lydia and Stiles, okay?”

“Wait, you’re just going to leave me here?” 

“You need to stay safe. We don’t know what he’ll do.” 

“I know Derek, I’m fine let me go out there.” I said and walked forward to the entryway where Lydia and Stiles had just walked out of. Isaac grabbed my shoulder firmly and pushed me back into the wall. 

“I’m sorry Paige but you have to stay here.” 

“No, Isaac. I want to see Derek. Okay, just let me go with you guys. I can- “ I was silenced by Isaac cupping a hand over my mouth. 

“Shhh.” He turned his head to the door. It was silent expect for the noise on the street below and the sound of our breathing. “He’s here.”

As if on cue the front door slammed open and heavy footsteps trudged in. What sounded life a bag dropped on the floor by the door and keys rattled before they hit a hard surface. Faster footsteps ran in and Stiles voice filled the empty space. 

“Derek just listen, before you freak out on us, just listen.” Stiles said

“I will rip your throat out if you did anything stupid.”

“Yea, I don’t doubt that.” Stiles responded. “We did something. Something good, for you. Remember when Lydia brought Peter back? Using you? We tried that again, but this time we got something for you. Derek, we are not joking. We couldn’t do that to you Derek. You may think we hate you but you saved Scott. You saved all of us.”

“You understand how this sounds to me right. You want to thank me for saving you and your friends so you brought back a girl form the dead.” he said and started walking towards the kitchen where I was still pressed between a wall and Isaac. “Not possible.”

“But it’s not just any girl, Derek.” Lydia spoke up. “Paige.”

I could physically feel my heart pounding in my ears as I heard him turn around back to Lydia. 

“How do you know about her.” he asked. His gruff voice wavering slightly. 

“Cora, and Peter. They told us everything.” She answered.

“Everything really? They don’t know everything, not even close.” He took a deep breath in and let it out of his nose before continuing in a quiet voice. “I had to help her. She, didn’t react to the bite they way she was supposed to. She didn’t make it, and that’s my fault. She died. She’s dead, and she has been for a long time. I have tried everything in my power to get her back, trust me.” 

The room was silent except for our heartbeats. There were tears falling freely off my face to where Isaac’s head was still lightly cupped over my mouth. He dropped his hand and looked at me. His head looked between me and the entrance to the living room before dropping his hand down to his side. He nodded slowly at me; silently allowing me to move into the next room. 

I mouthed a quiet “thank you” and he just nodded still on alert and focused. I made my shaking legs start moving and tried my best to keep my hands from spasming. 

There was a really good chance this wouldn’t end up well I thought to myself as I looked around the corner cautiously. Stiles was facing a couch that I assumed Derek was on but I couldn’t see him from where I was. I looked over to the front doorway that was now closed. Lydia was leaning against it and when my eyes scanned over the room they met hers. She stood up straight and nodded at me. I wiped under my eyes one more time and took that as my sign to go forward. 

Stepping into the light I could see a large shadow of a man sitting with his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands on the wall. Derek. 

Stiles looked up and me and let out a long exhale and then bent down to be at eye level with Derek. “If you still don’t believe me then turn around.” he whispered and stood up. Derek hung his head before standing up slowly and turning. 

I was still somewhat hidden in the shadows but I could sense that he knew I was there. Stepping into the light I felt my heart beating violently against my ribcage.

There he was. He was taller and bigger and even with his light scruff of facial hair he still looked the same. His broad chest began to rise and fall quickly and his familiar wide brown eyes were watering with tears were threatening to spill over. 

“That’, um, she’s. . . how did you. . . holy shit. . . you really did it.” He said. “You’re here?” He asked, voice threatening to crack at the end. 

“Yea, Derek. I’m here.” I said and took a step closer. He moved slowly around the edge of the couch watching my every slightest move until he was just a few feet away from me. 

“I can hear your heartbeat.” he said and closed his eyes, a single tear streaming down his tan cheek. “You’re alive.” he said when he opened his eyes. His body weight shifted forward and before I could even tell what was happening I was in his arms. 

I couldn’t help but cry into his shoulder as my arms wrapped around his neck and his made their way around my torso and squeeze. His body shuddered and shook and I placed a hand on the back of his head and kissed his temple to try and calm him.

“Derek, shhh. It’s okay I’m here. You’re not alone okay.” I said and pulled back for a moment to see his face. 

His eyes were red and there were tear streaks down his cheeks. I took his face in my hands and wiped the tears away with my thumbs, making sure to place a kiss on the bridge of his nose.  
Lingering there his head stilted up so that his lips ghosted for a second over mine before moving in and pressing against mine. Our lips were salty from our tears but we didn’t seem to care as he moved his hands to my ribcage to pull me closer. 

He pulled away for a moment to run his nose through the side of my hair and press his war cheek against mine. His was skin was heaven under my fingers. It felt like I was finally alive once I could feel his warmth against mine.

"I'm never letting you go again, okay? This is never going to happen again." I placed my hands over his and nodded. There were no words I could say to articulate this moment, so I just nodded and pressed my forehead to his.

“We’ll just be going now.” A voice said from the door. I jumped and Derek groaned at having to separate to say goodbye. He pulled me into his side and we smiled warmly at the pack at the door. 

“Thank you. Thank you so much for this. Nothing I could ever do can make this even between us.” Derek said and pulled me in tighter. I nodded and smiled up at him.

“You saved us and our best friends, trust me you two deserve this.” Stiles said before filing out after Lydia and Isaac. They closed the door behind them on the way out and I turned around in Derek’s arms again. His large hands slid up my sides to cradle my face and place a chaste kiss before speaking.

He let out a shaky breath as he straightened out his upper body to pull me in again. My hands ran down his hands but stopped suddenly when they came across something warm and Derek winced. 

I pulled back immediately to look down at his torso. Somehow I had missed the wound on his side.

“Derek what happened?

“Some hunter got to us on the way into town. I think it was the same ones who shot Stiles’ jeep.”

“He told you about that?”

“Yea he got me up to date on the way up. Don’t worry though you’ll be fine as long as you’re with me.”

"Trust me I’m not going anywhere. Are you okay though?" I asked. Realizing that there were other wounds on his torso and arms. 

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"I heal faster than you think." He said with a small smile. Werewolf. Right. 

"It's still dirty though. I’ll clean it just in case." I said and took his hand and led him to go sit down on the couch. There was a dish towel left on the counter that I ran under warm water to get wet. 

He watched me intently as I sat down across from him and motioned for his arm. There were two large gashes on his forearm and one on his side that, according to its bloody state, was obviously worse. He smiled as I took his hand and held it for comfort as I cleaned out the wound. His other hand was placed on my knee as his thumb drew small circles into the denim that covered it.

“When I woke up this morning I didn’t think I’d be able to touch you ever again.” he said quietly and continued drawing shapes. “I didn’t think that there was ever a possibility of getting you back so I didn’t-” 

“Derek, you’re making yourself feel bad for no reason right now. There was no way for you to know that you could get me. Don’t get mad at yourself for something you didn’t know was possible. Just be happy.” 

“I am happy. Trust me.” he said and squeezed my hand and kissed my forehead. I finished cleaning his arm and looked at his side.

"You might have to, um. . ." I didn't want to directly tell him to take his shirt off but I needed it off to take care of him.

"Oh right." He said and let go of my hand to slide the dirty white t-shirt over his head. His naked torso was unbelievably defined. I couldn't help bit stare for a moment before reaching for another cloth. I heard him wince as I cleaned over a particularly shredded piece of flesh and I snapped my head up to makes sure he was okay.

"I'm sorry. It's almost done I promise." I said and kissed the back his his hand that was sitting comfortably in my open palm. It already looked like it was healing by the time I was finished. 

"Thank you." 

"Anytime. Are you okay?" I asked and and moved so that I was closed to him with my legs in his lap.

"I'm perfect." He said and placed his hands on my hips to pull me in closer. His forehead rested against my chest and I knew he was listening to my heartbeat; reminding himself we were really together. He placed a light kiss to my sternum and looked up at me. "Stay with me. Here." 

"Of course." I said and leaned in to let my nose bump his. His breath was on my lips before I even closed the gap between us. 

His lips were heaven. They molded to mine perfectly and when I opened my mouth to let him in his warm tongue slowly slid over my bottom lip, sending a shiver down my spine and causing goosebumps to rise on my arms. He smiled against my lips and kissed me quickly before pulling away and kissing the tip of my nose. I smiled as he pulled away and kissed his cheek before hugging his body close again. His warmth radiated from his body and holding him close made me feel a little warmer and alive. 

“Your heartbeat got faster.” he said with a small smug smile.

“You have that affect on me.” I said as I pulled away slightly and draped my arms around his neck, letting my fingers play with the hair on the back of his head. His lips made their way to my shoulder and pressed against my collarbone. 

“Do you want to go to bed? You can borrow some of my clothes.” he asked quietly.

“Mhmm.” I said lazily. He scoffed contently smiled before kissing my neck. His arms slowly unwound from me as he got up. I expected him to moved my legs out of his lap in order to get up, but rather he picked me up, still cradled to his chest. I smiled up at him. 

“I can walk you know.”

“Yea, but you looked tired.” He said and lowered his head slightly. We walked into his large bedroom and he laid me down on the fluffily unmade white bed at the center. My body sank into the covers and rolled over on my stomach as he walked around the other side of the bed to a dresser on the wall.

“These will be big on you, but they work for now. I’ll have Lydia get you some things tomorrow.” he said and tossed a t-shirt and a pair of boxers at me. I smiled and stood up to roll my jeans and top off. I turned back to face the bed to reach for the shirt and looked up to see Derek staring at me.

“Can I help you?” I asked. He just hung his head and shook it before moving his hands down to his waist to remove the jeans on his lower body. His threw them into the corner and turned back to me just in time to pull the shirt on and make it look like I wasn’t watching him undress. 

He plopped down on the mattress with a loud thud and reached over to pull me into his side. I hadn’t had time to realize just how big he had gotten until I was curled into his side with his body shielding mine. 

“Hey.” I said and looked up at his beaming face. His dark eyes were tired and he was blinking slowly.

“Hey.” He said and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. 

“I’m in bed with you.” I said with a small laugh. “This is very normal though. I like it.” I said and played with his fingers that were draped around my waist. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” he said and nuzzled his nose into my hair. I listened to his breathing become shallow and his heartbeat slow. I fell asleep that night to the sound of Derek breathing and Derek’s arms around my waist. The normalcy of the scene scared me but I was more than willing to accept it. More than willing to be alive and in love with Derek.


	2. Fight for Love

The next week went by in a blur. I had spent every moment of it with Derek learning to reconnect to the world, how to live again. We were cautious when we went into town as I was dead until just awhile ago and Beacon Hills was a small town, and we didn’t want anyone seeing ghosts. So, limited to late night diner visits and grocery store runs getting out of the house proved to be much harder than expected. But we had slowly woven each other back into our lives. I had a substantially sized wardrobe thanks to Lydia and my place in the closet next to his. We had our sides of the bed, even though we just ended up cuddled in the middle, and we knew how to move around each other on the nights we would spend hours cooking dinner just to sit down and enjoy a simple meal together. 

One night, after four days of being alive, we went over to Scott’s house where I met both him and his girlfriend Allison, as well as Deaton. Derek wanted to make sure I was okay after everything so I was given a kind of makeshift physical by both Deaton and Scott’s mother Melissa, who was more than skeptical of my existence. 

“Scott McCall people do not come back to life. If you want to make sure she’s okay take her to a doctor.” she said from the kitchen and threw her hands up.

“Mom, she has a death certificate, that’s not exactly an option.You check out Derek and Isaac all the time. Please just take a look.” he begged. 

“For what it’s worth I feel fine.” I interjected. “Really, thank you for being so kind but I think I’m alright.” 

“You look alright but you missed twelve years of vaccines.” Melissa said and huffed. “I’ll see what I can do. You kids stay safe. Don’t break anything.” she said as she grabbed her purse and headed out the door for work. 

Everything felt very ordinary, or as ordinary as it could be, as we sat down at the table afterwards to discuss the hunters. After getting caught up we learned that Scott and Allison had been attacked on the way home from school, and Lydia was being watched while in her house one evening. 

“If they’re watching Lydia they must have see what she did to Paige.” Deaton explained and shook his head. “They haven’t realized she’s with Derek yet.”

“And they wont.” Derek said in his strongest Alpha voice. The intimidation of the sudden tone startled me and I turned to look at him in the chair next to me. “I’ll get her out of their way until we’ll get rid of them. The rest of the pack should be here soon; once they get here we’ll lure them in and attack.” He said simply, like it was planning a football game. Not attacking a group of hunters that were ready to kill him and his pack at the blink on an eye. 

“Derek you know it won’t be that easy. They’re not coming for us, they’re coming for Paige and Lydia. We need them there to lure the hunters in.” Scott said and there was a general nod of agreement that went around the table.

“Not happening.” Derek stated simply and leaned forward so that his forearms were pressed against the tabletop. “So when the rest of the pack gets here we’ll fill them in on what to-”

“Derek.”

“. . .on what’s going on and when they should come in and where we want this- “

“Derek.” Scott said firmly. 

“What?” He huffed looking back up at Scott.

“Derek, I know it kills you to do this. We all know how much you’re risking here, but we need Paige to be here. If she’s not there we might as well not fight at all. This is the only chance to set up the fight how we want it. No surprises, man. We get to plan this fight out, when are we going to get another chance like this?” Scott had quieted to a firm speaking voice by the end of his rant. Derek glared at him with intensity and the vein in his neck pulsed. 

I dared to reach out under the table to place a hand on his knee. “He’s right you know.” I spoke quietly .”Honestly we’re not stupid, we know what to do if something bad happens.”

He put his head in his palms and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hand. “I know you’re not stupid, I just don’t want you to get hurt. You were dead a few weeks ago, that’s not happening again.” He said and raised his head to look at me. I placed a hand on his bicep and rubbed his arm. 

“And it won’t. Trust them Derek. We’ll be okay.” I said and looked into his eyes. He could tell I was serious and let out a long sigh and shook his head at me. A growl escaped his lips and he turned his head to face scott. 

“We’ll do it in the warehouse outside town. Paige and Lydia will be near us the whole time. We’ll figure out logistics and exact placement when everyone else gets here.” 

“Sounds like a good plan.” Scott said and stood up to keep working on whatever he and Deaton were previously working on.

“You’re only saying that because its yours.” Derek scoffed and stood up as well only he headed for the back porch. Allison and I shared a glance across the table before I nodded towards him. She nodded back, signaling me to follow just as I heard the door slam. Turning quickly I followed him out, only this time closing the screen door much less violently behind me.

He was sitting on the step of the porch rubbing his face in his hands. Moving closer I sat down next to him and leaned my head on his shoulder. Sighing he lifted his arm up and wrapped it tightly around me to hold me closer. 

“I love you.” I said and ran my fingers over the top of his forearm.

“I love you too.” he said quietly and kissed the top of my head.

“Everything will be okay.” I said and looked up at his stubbled jawline.

“I know. I just want to make sure everyone is safe. Especially you.” he said quietly and tightened his grip on me. I smiled at the contact. 

“I’m going to be there at the end of that fight Derek; and then I’m going to take you home and everything is going to be painfully normal, and you and I are going to be so bored we’ll be wishing for something like this to happen.” I got him to smile as he looked down at me. 

“That’s going to be the only thing keeping me going I hope you understand that.” he said with a small laugh. Although he sounded happy his eyes were worried and looked tired. 

“You’ve been worried about this.” I stated simply and placed my hand on the side of his jaw. 

He let out a long exhale through his nose and closed his eyes. 

“I just got you back.” he said quietly and shook his head

“I’m not going anywhere.” I said and placed my legs in his lap. His hands wrapped around my calves and massaged as he hummed in agreement. Sitting there for a moment looking over the McCall’s garden I could feel him start to calm down. The muscles in his back relaxed and he closed his eyes and tilted his head back to let the warm sun hit his neck.

“Remember the first time you met my parents?” he asked. I smiled against his chest as he looked down at me. I laughed and buried my face in the crook of his neck and nodded.

“I’m glad they were so kind because that was the most terrifying experience of my life. I thought they would hate me for sure.” I said and he gave a small laugh.

“They loved you. A lot. The saw you as part of the family, as part of the pack. They knew how much you meant to me and you meant just as much to them.” he said quietly and rested his head on my shoulder. Derek hadn’t spoken very much about his family, and from what I gathered no one else knew very much about them. 

“I love them too you know.” I said and I could feel him nod against my shoulder. “You guys gave me a home away from home. You’re my family.” 

“I wish they could see us now.” he said and raised his head to look back up at the sky. 

“They’re proud of you, Derek, for everything you’ve sacrificed for your pack. I know it.” I said and rested his forehead against mine. He let out a breath and kissed me quickly.

“Thank you. For everything.” he said and kissed the side of my mouth. I nodded and kissed his forehead and he rested it against my chest, listening to my heartbeat.

I looked over my shoulder as I heard the screen door creak open. Allison appeared, smiling and holding her purse. 

“Sorry to interrupt but I was wondering if I could steal Paige for the afternoon. She hasn’t had any girl time since her you know, resurrection. . . and I’m in need of a manicure and I’d love it if you could join me and Lydia over at my place?” she asked and smiled sweetly.

“I would love to.” I said and kissed Derek’s cheek quickly before standing up and joining her. “You okay?” I asked and he nodded.

“Go have fun. I’ll see you soon” he said and let my hands slide out of his grip as I stood up.

“Bye, I love you.” I said before I followed her inside.

“I love you too.” 

 

*

“I’m going to help you.” Allison said as we made a turn onto a gravel road, heading the opposite direction of her house. “Even if Derek is with you for that entire fight there’s still a really good chance that you could get hurt. I know how scary it is to be the weakest one in a fight, especially compared to those guys. We’re going to-” I cut her off as we turned onto a long driveway.

“I know where we are.” I said as a large white house appeared out of the trees. The Hale house stood proud among the woods around it. Looking exactly the way it had 12 years ago. “I thought it burned down.” I said quietly as Allison parked in front so we could get out.

“Derek fixed it up about two years ago. It’s his but the pack is welcome at anytime to use it. I don’t think he really likes being alone in it though.” she said as she popped her trunk open and grabbed two black bags. She laid them on the hood and unzipped them revealing several different bows and different, yet equally intimidating looking arrows. 

“Defending myself.” I said quietly and reached out to touch one. 

“It’s the only way you’ll be really safe. “So learn fast, we have to win.” she said with a smile and picked one up. 

“Okay, you ready?” Allison asked.

“Yea. I think so.” I nodded and picked up the remaining one. Allison stood next to me and showed me briefly how to stand and pointed a branch in the distance.

“See that? Shoot it.” I followed her command and pulled up the bow aligning it with what I could see, and let go. With a small snap I looked up and saw that the branch I aimed at was split in two. 

“Holy shit, that was a good shot.” With another arrow I kept aiming at branches and patches of moss until Allison was running out of things for me to shoot with. I felt proud as I walked over with her to pick up the remains to do it again. 

“What next?” I asked when we returned and laid everything out again. 

“You need to know how to fight with it now.” 

“Okay, how’s that going to happen?” I asked. 

“Him.” she said and pointed over my shoulder. Scott was walking up from the woods. 

“Hey ladies. How’s training?”

“She has a perfect shot, but I need you to fight her for practice.” Allison said and reloaded some arrows for me. 

“I’m fight him?” I asked and pointed at Scott, who stood at least seven inches above me. 

“What, are you scared?” He asked with a cocky grin and a puffed out chest.

“Only that you’ll get hurt.” I said with a sweet smile.

“Here, Scott is going to have your bow. You’re going to need to get it back and hit the target I set up.” she said and wiggled her eyebrows at Scott as she handed him the bow. “Close your eyes” 

I listened to her footsteps fade away and fade back in as she set up the target in the distance. She came back and slung the arrows across my back with a pat on the shoulder.

“Go.” she yelled and I opened my eyes. Scott was about three yards away from me and the target, a small red ribbon, was just behind him on a branch. I ran at full speed towards him and reached out for the bow. He swiped at me once and when I took a step back he brought his hand back up to show off his claws. I rolled my eyes and tried again and lunged for the bow, swiping a leg under his as he took a step forward to swipe again, kicking up and causing him to fall forward slightly but with enough time for me to grab the bow and pull an arrow off my back. Waiting a quick heartbeat to aim I let the bow go and shot the target. 

“Got it.” I yelled and turned around to see the two looking at me with wide eyes. “What?”

“How the hell did you just do that?” Scott said, looking bewildered. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Derek taught me how to fight, a long time ago, when he first though there might be danger in Beacon Hills. I guess it’s finally useful.” I said and shrugged my shoulders before handing the bow back to Scott. “Again?”

 

*

“Okay whenever you’re ready.” She said I opened my eyes in a flash and immediately found the red ribbon she had hidden among the branches to my left. I grabbed the bow from off the ground but when I reached down it wasn’t there. I looked over to see Scott holding it and groaned. He laughed flicked his wrist, exposing his claws. I ran towards him at full force for the millionth time that day, only this time I tried to throw him off. Right when he was about to swing at my torso I tucked my head and rolled through his legs and grabbed the bow from over his shoulder. I made sure to pull back hard and sent him falling to the ground, as I swiftly grabbed an arrow off my back and slid it into place, I placed a foot on his chest to keep him down as I took aim and released at the red mark in the distance. 

With a loud snap I heard the branch that the ribbon was on break and fall to the ground. I let out a long sigh as I brought the bow down and let myself pant for a moment to catch my breath. Reaching a hand down to help Scott get off the ground we turned to see not only Allison but Stiles, Lydia, and Isaac, along with another man I didn’t recognize.

“Well done.” Lydia said as I walked over and reached out to wipe dirt off the sleeve of my jacket. “You feel good?” She asked and I could only nod, still trying to catch my breath. 

“Paige, this is Boyd, he’s park of Derek’s pack.” Allison explained, point to a large man to her left. I shook his hand and he smiled warmly at me. 

“Welcome back. That was quite a fight over there.” he said kindly.

“Thank you. I can only hope it’ll come in handy.” I said giving a small chuckle, pulling the bow off my back to examine it. 

“Looks like you have an audience.” Stiles noted and pointed to the porch of the house. Derek was sanding there and even in the dim light I could see his eyes flash 

“I’ll meet you guys inside.” I said and handed the bow off to Allison. Jumping up the stairs to the porch I was pulled into his body by my hips, getting bent into a passionate kiss. Derek didn’t seem to be one for public displays of affection but I couldn’t complain as his tongue licked a stripe over the edge over my bottom lip. He made his way into my mouth and pushed against me for a moment, bringing a hand up to the back of my neck, and leaving one on my lower back. His tongue slowly retracted back and he placed a chaste kiss on my lips to seal the moment before puling away.

“You can fight.” He said and ran his hand up the back of my arm soothingly and placed a kiss on my temple. 

“You can kiss.” I said and sighed. He gave me a big smile that exposed his white teeth and made my heart skip a beat, which he probably heard.

“Are you okay?” he asked and took my hand in his as he started walking towards his car. “No cuts or bruises?” he asked and glanced my way quickly. 

“Only on Scott.” I said and gave him a quick smile as I walked past him as he held to door into the house open for me. He laughed and shut the door behind me as I watched him walk around to the drivers side and wave at the crowd that was starting to disperse from the home. I waved at Allison and Scott through the windshield as Derek got in and started the car and backed out of the long driveway to head for the loft. 

 

*

I winced as I pried my t-shirt off my body and bit my lip to try and not make any noise as I peeled it off, but I couldn’t help and whimper as I lifted my shoulder to get it all the way off. There was a large black and blue bruise forming on my collarbone that I didn’t notice I had gotten during training. 

After two days of full on Argent training with Allison and her dad and Scott I was defiantly sore but this was the first visible damage that I had gotten.

As soon as the small sound escaped my lips I sighed knowing what was coming. A dish dropped into the sink in the kitchen as the water shut off and was shortly by Derek’s heavy footsteps coming in through the door.  
“I’m okay, honey don’t worry.” I said as he approached. His eyes flicked from the bruise to my face and back. He moved closer slowly and I could feel the heat radiate off his body, particularly his naked torso. 

“What happened?” he asked and lightly grazed his fingers over the mark, concern plaguing his strong face. 

“I must have bumped myself. I’m fine though.” I said and placed my hand on top of his where it was rested on my shoulder. I looked up from his abdomen to his eyes and saw him looking over my body. I hadn’t realized I was standing there without a shirt on, but Derek had. 

“Derek.”

His eyes snapped up to meet mine. “Yea, sorry.” He said and dropped his eyes to the ground. 

“Don’t be sorry.” I said and pulled him, placing his lips on mine. His hands quickly made their way up my naked torso, stopping at the back of the bra covering my chest to get it off. I pressed my chest to his torso and ran my hands over his stomach and smily when he shuddered as I ran a finger along his pant line.

He stepped backwards and dropped back on the bed, pulling me with him so that I was laying on top of him, kissing his lips and running a hand through his short black hair. He grabbed my waist and rolled me over so that I was under him and smiled and contact. 

I moaned and pressed my chest up so he could feel my breasts on his skin. He opened his mouth and moaned into the kiss and shit. . . it was the sexiest thing I’d ever heard. His hands ran down my chest down to the edge of my jeans and pulled them off. We disconnected for a moment to slip the rest of our clothes off, only to meet again with flushed skin and red lips ablaze. I pushed him over and he propped himself up on the headboard so I could straddle his lap. 

My hands ran their way from his stomach up his broad chest, to his neck; which was currently bent forward as he lick and sucked on my neck and collarbone. His teeth were like daggers, biting and leaving marks for tomorrow. I liked the idea of being marked by him, of having proof that I was alive and his and that blood was pumping under my skin. 

His hand made its way slowly down my core until he placed a finger along my slit. I moaned as he pushed it inside me and began to pump it in and out. His pace grew faster and the heel of his hand brushed against my clit each time, pushing me closer and closer to the edge, all the while licking and sucking at my chest. I reached in between us to grab his hard length and slowly began to pump it was he continued to fuck me with his fingers. He moaned and dropped his mouth from my neck to rest it on my chest. 

“Oh fuck.” he said and thrusted into my hand. All the while I could feel myself getting closer to the edge each time his fingers dove further and further inside of me. 

“Derek, I need you. I need you now.” I said in raspy breaths.

“I got you baby.” he said and pulled his hand away. I groaned at the loss of contact and needed something to relieve the tension. 

I used my place to grind my hips down on his hard length. He moaned at the friction and I continued to grind on him until we were quivering messes, the act of actually fucking completely forgotten. Grabbing at each other to be closer, Derek stopped for a moment to grab a condom and slide it on, then returned to my lips. His hands gripped my waist and lifted me up slightly so that I was about to slide onto him. 

“I love you.” he said and placed a kiss over my heart. I sighed contently at the gesture and placed a hand on the side of his face to bring his eyes up to mine. 

“I love you so much.” I said and pressed my lips to his while lowering myself onto him. He let his head fall back onto the pillows and he moaned as I rolled my hips. Licking a stripe up his neck to his jaw I began to meet his quick thrusts by rolling my hips. 

“Holy shit, babe I’m not going to last long.” he said and began to thrust faster. I rolled my hips and clung to the back of his neck, kissing him with an open mouth. I couldn’t do anything but groan in response as I felt him cum inside me. Hot blasts his my walls and his cock throbbed as he continued to thrusts. I came shortly after and let my body completely relax on top of his. 

He pulled out and rolled us over so that I was laying on my back on top of the covers as he cleaned himself off. He came back and pulled the covers out, draping one over my naked frame. I was almost asleep as he climbed in bed behind me, pressing my arms around my body. I rolled over in his arms and rested my head on his chest. 

“You sleep like this a lot.” he said and grazed his fingers down my back.

“You always get to hear my heartbeat. I like hearing yours.” I said and pressed a slow kiss over the skin covering his heart.

“I like hearing yours.” he said. “Its proof that you’re actually here and I’m not just insane.” 

“It makes me feel alive.” I responded.

“You are alive.” he said, almost as if he was reminding himself rather than responding. 

“I’m in love.”  
“Me too.” he said and dropped his had back on the pillows. I fell asleep listening to the sound of Derek’s heartbeat. The beat of his heart that was very much in love.


	3. War by Association

Going into a space knowing there’s going to be bloodshed wasn’t as comforting as we thought it was going to be as we crawled into the empty warehouse. I went in last after Derek and we crawled up a ladder hanging inside to a loft area that hung above the rafters. We could look down and see where the pack stood around the doors, waiting for the fight. Once Derek and I were up he looked out the window and nodded down at Scott who was waiting for the signal to begin.

He tilted his head back and howled. At first it bounced off the empty walls alone but sooner than I expected more and more began to add in. Looking over the rafters I saw Isaac and Boyd come in, already in full wolf mode. Shortly after a tall blonde girl came in behind them and joined in, slowly shifting in the light of the moon that shone in from a hole in the ceiling. Behind her two more came, walking in sync. They disappeared in a shadow for a moment and when they emerged, they were gone, but rather on mammoth wolf stood in their place. 

“Derek.” I said and reached back to grab onto his arm, keeping my eyes fixed on the space below.

“That’s Ethan and Aidan. They morph into one.” he said quietly, turning his head from the window to the pack below. “This is the whole pack, plus Allison and Stiles outside. That’s Erica.” he said pointing to the blonde, who was now crouched down in front of a side door. “She and Boyd are a thing.” he said and took my hand and pulled me closer and to sit down on a fallen beam to wait.

“And because they’re part of you pack you bit them?” I asked bluntly. He nodded his head slowly and looked up at me.

“I didn’t mean to hurt any of them.”

“I know you didn’t.”

“They all were in bad places, Paige. They could be park of the pack and be safe.”

“Derek I trust you. I trust them. I know you wouldn’t hurt anyone. I know I’m safe.” I said and placed a hand on his cheek to bring his eyes up to mine. His eyes narrowed and studied mine for a minute and I could tell he was listening to my heartbeat. I smirked as it stayed steady. “Told you so.” 

He leaned in and kissed my forehead. Holding me close to his chest when he pulled away. His grip on me tightened and everyone downstairs got eerily quiet.

“They’re coming.” he said. I pushed myself off his chest as I got in my place, hidden away in the rafters while Derek stood in front of me. Lydia was down below and I could her her speaking quietly. She stopped for a moment and I swear I could hear her shuddered breath.  
There was a split second of fighting before the fighting began. The building rang with silence but eventually echoed with the mangled cries and howls of the pack below. Derek watched cautiously from his place as I stood close by, clutching my bow. 

There was scratching and biting and gunshots and screams. Walls were rattling from bodies being thrown against them; sending trembles up the walls of the old building. After only a moment of fighting I heard a car start outside and two men drag a body into the back seat and drive away. 

The downstairs battlefield went quiet as they drove off. After a moment there was the sound of feet padding across the floor and things being turned over, doors being opened. The pack was looking for something, if not someone, that they could sense was in the building.

There was a creak in the floorboards of the loft and the rafters groaned under pressure as the ladder we had used to climb up to out spot.

"Derek something's happening." I said and looked at the doorway. A a large man was looming in the darkness, slowly inching his way towards Derek and I. To get to the loft that Derek and I were in he had to have been the leader of the group of hunters. No one else could have made it through the pack. I instinctively reached for the bow on my back but he saw the sudden move and pulled what could I only make out to be a small gun from his pocket. Derek growled and he tensed as he changed in front of the man; fangs and claws out, red eyes. The man simply scoffed and took a step closer to us. 

"She's very pretty, you know." He said. And twirled the gun nonchalantly around his fingers. "I'd like to have her for myself. I'm sure she'd make a lovely pet." He said coyly. 

Derek growled again, this time shaking the dust that covered the room. I reached out for his arm to steady him, knowing that the hunter was trying to get inside his head. 

The hunters eyes flicked to where my hand rested on Derek's arm. A disgusting smile slid across his mouth. "Young love, how romantic. I never though someone as graceful as you would go for a beast. Especially with all the potential you have. All the power. Do you even know what that banshee did when she brought you back. You're not human darling, not a pure blood like me. You have so much potential. I could mold you into something great. Make you my own little slave." He laughed and continued to twirl the gun. 

Derek tensed under my hand and suddenly kept towards the man. He was quick but the hunter was somehow quicker. Shooting towards the wolf in the air but missing and instead hitting a beam on the roof, causing it to fall, knocking Derek out of the air and throwing him against a wall. He fell with a loud thud and I pulled my bow out and pointed it at the man that was facing the wall Derek was currently laying against. 

"You thought you could win this, didn't you? You thought you could beat me?" He whispered pointing the gun at Derek.

"We can." I said quietly. He turned around as I let go of the arrow and closed my eyes when I heard it pierce his neck. His body fell to the ground, the gun bouncing out of his hands and onto the hard floor. 

My hands shook and there was a distinct wave of nausea in the pit of my stomach but I snapped out of my state when I heard a whimper from across the room and looked up to see Derek still trapped under the fallen beam. I ran over and tried to lift it off but it was too heavy. I looked at his face and his eyes were steadily closing and opening, like he was trying to stay awake. 

"No, no. Derek stay awake please stay awake. Okay? Keep your eyes open." I said and reached out to brush his hair off his sweaty forehead. "Help! Scott!" I yelled, my voice echoing in the old building. I moved closer to Derek and held his hand as I waited. 

"Paige." He whispered. "Can't breathe." 

"I know, I can't lift it off but Scott's coming to help I promise, okay?" I said and felt a tear slide down my cheek. 

"I love you." He said and squeezed my hand. In training and fighting I never though it would be Derek that would get hurt. I’d always through it would be me. I’d rather it me than see him like this. I knew what death felt like I knew what to expect if the world went black again. He didn’t; he had seen so many so many people’s lights go out. He didn’t deserve to have the same fate. 

"I love you too." I said squeezed it back. 

There was a sound of thundering footsteps racing up the staircase and Scott and Isaac's voices coming closer. They whipped around the corner and examined the scene before the each took an end of the beam and picked up it, throwing it across the room. Once it was off, Derek gasped. His chest rising and falling quickly as he regained his breath, and his head falling back onto the hard floor. 

I leapt in front of Isaac and leaned over him, moving his shirt to see the gashes that were strewn across his stomach, trying desperately to heal around broken bone.

“Paige, don’t cry. I’m okay.” he said and reached up to hold my face. I didn’t realize I was crying until he pointed it out. Tears were free falling down my face and my body was shaking. 

That’s the thing about loving Derek. I didn’t just feel it in my heart. I felt him in my entire body. I could always feel him no matter what, and now, seeing him weakly strewn across a dirty floor was enough to make my whole body ache. I could feel each of his ragged breaths, and even though I knew he was getting better, healing with every heartbeat, it still killed me that he had to be in pain in the first place. 

“I know, you just scared me that’s all.” I said and hung my head. Scott came over then and grabbed Derek’s free hand and lifted his arm over his shoulder. I moved away from him as Isaac took the other arm. 

“Go start the car. We’ll be down in a minute.” Scott said and tossed me the keys from Derek’s pocket. I could only nod as I grabbed my bow off the floor and slug it over my back. I took one last look back at the boys and realized they were lifting him up slowly. He winced as he stood and I took off down the hallway so he could get home.

*

By the time we got home Derek was able to stagger with a limp at best, but with his natural stubbornness was able to make his was out of the car and upstairs. 

As soon as we were in the front door he fell onto the couch into the living room. His head dropped over the arm rest and he let out a groan. Immediately I went to the kitchen and got a wet cloth. 

“How are you?” he asked as he lifted his head when I started to run the warm cloth over his bloodied arm.

“In better shape than you.” I scoffed and turned his arm to get the underside of his wrist, wondering how that had even been affected from the beam. There were small cuts and bruises on his face, but the real problem was on his torso. His bones had been crushed by the weight of the fallen beam and were healing at werewolf speed, causing him the most pain. 

External injuries would take a few hours at most to heal but the shifting of the bones and his muscles constantly readjusting to the new positions would take a day or two. 

“Are you alright? What you did back there was intense.”

“I’m fine. You’re safe, Lydia is safe, the rest of the pack is safe. That’s all I wanted.”

“I’m sorry I scared you.” he said quietly, averting his eyes to the cloth that was resting on his arm. 

“It happened so fast. I though we’d be fighting for days but it happened in the blink of an eye.” I said shaking my head slowly, still trying to wrap my head around it.

“I’m so sorry you had to be involved in all this.” he said and and shook his head. 

“I’d fight for you any day Derek.. We’re okay now that’s all the matters anyway.” I said and placed a soft kiss on the top of his head. He lifted his face as I pulled away and pressed his lips to mine. Molding together and placing a hand on the back of my head to pull me closer so you foreheads were touching. 

He pulled away and exhaled so his warm breath brushed over my lips. “I love you.” he said quietly but so that I could fell him say the words. My heart clenched as he whispered the words a

“I love you too.” I said and kissed his jaw before pulling away to look at his face. “You poor face.” I said and ran a hand over his bruised eyebrow.

“I’m okay.” he said and turned his head to kiss my palm. Resting his head there, nodding off. 

“Bed?”

“Bed.” he said and lifted himself up. I went ahead of him and pulled the cover back and fluffed his pillow. He plopped down on the mattress and scowled when his bounced, a hand flying up to hold his ribs. Laying back he relaxed immediately into the pillows. I pulled the blanket up over him and moved to the other side of the bed. Stripping down to my underwear, I slipped under the covers next to him, careful not to disrupt the bed. 

His arm ghosted over the covers for my own as I turned the lights off. He grabbed my arm and pulled me next to him. Since I could get in our usual sleeping position because of his wounds I settled with resting my head on the pillow next to him and holding his arm lightly. I heard his breaths even out and a long sigh leave his lips as he fell asleep.

Laying in bed I though of the bodies that had fallen during the fight. The hunters that had dragged to body out to the car, the wounds that were on Scott and Isaac, the hunter I had shot. The one who had tried to kill Derek. I had nothing to live for if not for Derek, and even if that meant bloodshed for myself and putting myself in danger it was worth it to protect Derek and the pack.

Love was worth fighting for.


	4. Chapter 4

Not good, this is not good I said to myself as I shook my head one more time and gripped the edge of the toilet bowl again. This was the third time this week my morning routine had been interrupted and I had to head straight for the bathroom. Bile rose from my throat and my eyes began to water and the horrible sensation. This morning I had just gotten out of the shower. My clothes were on and my hair was dry, so close to making it though without getting sick. 

Derek was in the kitchen making coffee at the time, by the smell of it, and I heard a mug drop loudly in the sink and his heavy feet run through the loft to my position on the tile floor. 

“Again?” He asked as I angrily flushed the toilet and grabbed my toothbrush for the second time that morning. I just nodded my head as I began to clean my teeth and turned to face him. He was gloriously dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans, and his warms wands were pressing to the sides of my neck. Feeling my pulse and checking my temperature. I turned momentarily to spit and put my toothbrush away.

“Let me feel you one more time?” he asked and touched the side of my face with his large palm. I leaned into it and kissed the warm skin on the heel of his hand. 

“I think I’m just sick.” I said reached up to take his hand to hold. “Lydia was a few weeks ago, probably have the same thing.”

“You smell different.” He stated blatantly. 

“Okay. Care to elaborate?”

“Your smell isn’t the same. It’s like more. . .” 

“Sick?”

“Wolfish.”

“Wolfish. Is that just you? I mean we’re pretty close are you sure you’re not just smelling yourself on me.”

“No, no I’d know that. This I- I have no idea.”

“How could I smell like one of you? I’m not even close to being part. . .” I stopped mid- sentence. Part of him. I wasn’t even close to being like Derek and I hadn’t been bitten so there was really only one way I could smell that way. I racked my brain for other options but it was the only feasible thing. . .

“What is it?” He asked. 

“Nothing, nothing I just don’t feel well. Are you still going to Scott’s today.” I asked, trying to change the subject.

“Not anymore. I don’t want to leave you sick here alone.” He said and ran the back of his hand along my forehead again. 

“Derek, I’ll be fine. This will be gone by noon, it always has. Plus Allison is coming over later to help me with a few things. I won’t be alone.”

“I don’t know Paige. I wasn’t really sure if I was going to actually go or not.”

“Then why are you dressed.” I asked and poked his chest through his black t-shirt. He rolled his eyes and scrunched up his nose.”Derek, go. I love you. Call me on the way home so I can start making dinner.” I said and kissed the tip of his nose. 

“Fine, but if you feel any worse you call me okay.”

“Okay, I promise. I love you.” I added and kissed him quickly. He smiled.

“I love you too. Bye babe.” he said and kissed my head quickly before exiting and heading to the front door. I heard him slip his boots on and slam the front door shut. 

As soon as I was sure he was gone I ran into the bedroom to grab my phone and dialed Allison’s number. It rang twice before she picked up with a giggle.

“Hey Paige, you’re on speaker phone with Lydia just by the way. We’re on the way over right now.”

“Perfect. Can you do me a favor? I need you to pick something up for me.” I asked and felt my stomach churn about having to even ask for it.

*

Allison and Lydia had arrived at the loft 40 minutes later with old books for research that was supposed to be getting done today and a bag from the drug store. They fell in when I opened the door and set up everything I had asked for after an explanation of how, and why on the why here.

“Sit. Talk, explain what is happening.” Lydia commanded. 

“I think we have a pretty good grasp on what’s going on. All the pages I’ve read say that this is possible. Nothing I’ve come across has said anything else.” Allison said. I just nodded my head slowly and picked up one of the photocopies she had made from her family’s books. 

Possible, the word held so much weight and uncertainty at the moment. 

“Did you get the. . .” I couldn’t finish my sentence. Allison reached into her bag where a smaller plastic bag was and pulled out the blue box.

She handed me the pregnancy test and I took it in a shaking hand. 

“Why are you so nervous?” Lydia asked and got off her stool and walked over to me.

“I don’t know really. I’m just. . . Derek and I haven’t exactly talked about this before. I just don’t know how he’ll react, you know?” I said and let out a shaky breath and fiddled with the box in my hands. It seemed so incredibly normal to be worrying about getting pregnant and taking pregnancy tests.

“Paige, Derek loves you more than anything in this world. He lost his family, you know that. Can you imagine how happy he’s going to be when he finds out he’s going to be starting one with you.” Allison said softly and placed a hand over mine. 

I nodded my head and held up the box with a smile. “I’m going to go do this now.” I said with a little laugh. They smiled at me warmly as I turned my back and headed for the bathroom. 

A minute later I walked out with the little sick that held so much of my fate and set it on the kitchen counter to wait. 

“Three minutes starting now.” Lydia chirped and tapped a button on her phone screen. I exhaled and leaned against the counter. 

“Longest three minutes of my life.” I moaned and started pacing back and forth in the kitchen.

“Mamma Paige.” Allison sighed and giggled. “Can you imagine Derek with a baby?” She asked and turned to Lydia.

“How cute would that be.” She said and placed a hand over her chest. I though about Derek then; holding a little one. It’s head cradled gently in his large palm. or pressed against his large chest. The vast size difference alone was enough to make me smile. 

“Ah, she’s thinking about it.” Lydia squealed and pointed at the grin that was plastered on my face. I blushed and shook my head.

“He would make a great father.” I said and looked at the reading Allison was holding. “What’s that one say?”

“It’s talking about gestation periods.” she said and looked up at me from it with a weary smile.

”Apparently because you’re human and he’s not you get the perks of a shorter pregnancy. We’ll have to ask Deaton to be sure but it looks like you’ll have a little wolf by Christmas.” Allison finished. Christmas. Christmas. Derek and I would have a baby by Christmas. I looked at the date on the screen on my phone. September 15th. 

“That’s four months.”

“Lucky you.” Lydia said as her phone beeped. We all look back and forth between each other with wide eyes. I took a cautious step towards the counter. The white stick seemed to be taunting me from its place. 

“Here we go.” I said and reached out to grab it. Two little blue lines shone out from the plastic surface and. . . 

“I’m pregnant.”

 

I heard keys rattle in the door and heavy footsteps come in from my place in the kitchen over the stove. I took a deep breath as he came around the corner to greet me. 

“Hi beautiful.” he said and wrapped his arms wrap around my waist and moved his lips to kiss my neck. I smiled and turned around in his arms and leaned up to kiss his lips.

“Hi handsome.” I said and pulled back to stand in front of him, holding both his hands in mine.

“Are you feeling any better?” he asked, reaching up to feel my face.

“I feel much better actually. Derek, I figured out why I’ve been so strange lately.” I said and squeezed his hand. 

“Are you okay? What’s wrong? Why did your heartbeat just pick up?” He fired off questions quickly and I just smiled at him and shook my head. 

“I’m okay. I’m better than okay actually. I figured out why I smell different to you, why there’s a part of my that’s ‘wolfish’. Why I’ve been so sick. Derek I took a test today and I. . . I’m pregnant.” I whispered the last bit and I felt his body stiffen and looked up to see his eyes wide. 

“Is that possible?” he whispered. I nodded and pointed to the books that were still strewn on the counter.

“I checked in the old Argent records and everything they have says it is possible. I mean it’ll be like you, so I’ll give birth around December, rather than spring. But Derek it is more than possible.” I said and swallowed a lump in my throat.

He looked between the books to me, to my stomach and back to the books. “We. . . We’re having a baby?” he asked. 

I could only nod as he looked back at the books again. “Derek?” I whispered, waiting for him to say something. 

He turned back to me with watering eyes and his mouth agape. “We’re having a baby.” he said again. 

“Yes, Derek. We’re having a baby.”

“Oh my god.” he exhaled and leaned against the counter.

“Woah, Derek are you okay.” I said and reached out to touch his shoulder. 

“We’re having a baby.” He said and glanced up at me with a smile. I nodded and watched him slowly rise again, reaching out to take my hands. The liquid in his eyes threatened to spill over as he looked at me. “We have a family?” he choked out. 

I could only nod as I swallowed a lump in my throat. I felt a tear slide down my cheek as he pulled me into him to rest against his chest. He sniffed loudly and I couldn’t help but laugh quietly.

“What?” He asked and pulled away for a moment to look at me. 

“I’m so happy.”

“Me too babe. Me too. How long have you known?”

“Just since this afternoon.”

“We’ll have to call Deaton and make sure everything is okay, and we need to start buying baby things, and we need room for the baby. Oh god, we don’t have enough room for a baby here. Where is a baby going to go in a loft. People have died here, we can’t have a baby here-”

“Derek, breathe. Everything will be fine. We are going to love this baby with everything we have. I know that. For right now that’s enough. Don’t worry.”

He just exhaled and brought me into his chest again.   
“We’re going to be okay aren’t we?” he asked quietly.

“Yea.” I said, bring his hand down to rest on my stomach and looking up at him. “We are.”


End file.
